Input method and electronic device using pen input device

ABSTRACT

An input method and electronic device using a pen input device are provided. In an embodiment, status information of the pen input device is received, and contact information of a contact point between the pen input device and the terminal is generated, based on the received status information. Expressive effects of a pen input, such as line thickness, density and texture, are varied based on the contact information. Such input method and electronic device using the pen input device can simply and conveniently vary expressive effects of a pen-based input. In other embodiments, contact information is determined from actual contact points and expressive effects are varied as a function of the contact information or pen status information derived from the actual contact information.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/095,328filed on Apr. 11, 2016 which is a Continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/936,560 filed on Jul. 8, 2013 and assigned U.S.Pat. No. 9,310,896 issued on Apr. 12, 2016 which claims the benefitunder 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of a Korean patent application filed on Jul.11, 2012 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office and assigned SerialNo. 10-2012-0075324, the entire disclosure of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to input technology forelectronic devices using a pen input device.

Description of the Related Art

Today's hand held electronic devices such as smart phones, tabletscomputers, and the like, receive a user's input through various inputmethods and devices. In particular, the touch screen has become thepredominant input mechanism in a majority of devices. Touch screenapplications that have recently gained in popularity include handwritingand painting applications in which detection of a user's touch acrossthe touch screen surface is converted to a writing or an image. In theseapplications, methods and devices for a touch input using a tool insteadof the user's finger have been steadily researched and developed inorder to allow a more delicate input.

Currently, sophisticated pen input devices which include communicationand detection electronics have been proposed for use as a touch inputtool. Various techniques have been attempted to measure threedimensional coordinates of these pen input devices by combining anacceleration sensor, an optical sensor, etc. within the pen inputdevice. The coordinates are then used to express the thickness orpressure of a pen input on the basis of measurement results.

However, although there are various effects that can be actuallyexpressed by a pen, it is difficult to vary such effects by simply usingthe location or tilt of a pen input device without any additional inputthrough a user interface (UI), such as a selection of icons thatautomatically change a writing expression.

Further, a complex pen input device as mentioned above may often requiremany measuring units such as sensors equipped therein so as to freelyvary expressive effects. This increase in complexity naturally increasesthe cost of the pen input device.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure is to provide a method andelectronic device for simply and conveniently varying expressive effectsof a pen-based input using at least contact information of a contactpoint between the pen input device and the electronic device.

In an embodiment, an input method for an electronic device using a peninput device is provided. In the method, status information of the peninput device is received. Contact information of a contact point betweenthe pen input device and the electronic device is generated, based onthe received status information. Expressive effects of a pen input arevaried, based on the contact information.

In another embodiment, an input method for an electronic device using apen input device involves detecting a contact point defined by an areaof contact between the pen input device and the electronic device.Contact information of the contact point is then generated. Statusinformation of the pen input device is calculated, based on the contactinformation. Expressive effects of a pen input are varied, based on thestatus information.

An embodiment provides apparatus including an electronic device and apen input device. The pen input device includes a communication unitconfigured to transmit and receive data to and from the electronicdevice. The electronic device includes a display unit configured todisplay expressive effects of a pen input; an input unit configured toreceive an external input; a communication unit configured to transmitand receive data to and from the pen input device; and a control unitconfigured to vary the expressive effects of the pen input by usingstatus information of the pen input device and contact information of acontact point between the pen input device and the electronic device.

Other aspects, advantages, and salient features of the invention willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detaileddescription, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings,discloses exemplary embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of anelectronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a pen inputdevice in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates two examples of expressing various effects by using areal pencil, to illustrate concepts of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an input method for an electronicdevice using a pen input device in accordance with the first embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an input method for an electronicdevice using a pen input device in accordance with the second embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates variation of contact information depending on tiltinformation in embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates variation of tilt information depending on contactinformation in embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described belowwith reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention may,however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construedas limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein. Rather, thedisclosed embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will bethorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the inventionto those skilled in the art. The principles and features of thisinvention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

Furthermore, well known or widely used techniques, elements, structures,and processes may not be described or illustrated in detail to avoidobscuring the essence of the present invention. Although the drawingsrepresent exemplary embodiments of the invention, the drawings are notnecessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated or omittedin order to better illustrate and explain the present invention.

In this disclosure, “status information” may include all kinds ofinformation detected at a sensor unit of a pen input device, especially,including one or more of three-dimensional coordinate information, tiltinformation, direction information, pressure information, andacceleration information of the pen input device.

In this disclosure, “tilt information” refers to information thatindicates an amount of inclination of a pen input device with respect toa reference plane, and may be represented as angles, three-dimensionalcoordinates, or the like. The value of such a tilt may be expresseddifferently depending on what plane is defined as a reference plane.Namely, if a reference plane is set to the surface of a touch screen, apen input device perpendicular to the touch screen is considered to havea tilt of 0 degrees. However, a reference plane or line can be setdifferently, e.g., as an axis or plane normal to the touch screensurface, or as a plane set at an arbitrary angle with respect to thesurface. A reference plane may be set in advance by a user or have adefault value set by the terminal itself.

In this disclosure, “contact information” is information about a contactpoint, especially, including one or more of coordinates, size, shape,and pressure of the contact point. A “contact point” is the generallocation at which contact is made between a touch implement (e.g., a peninput device) and a touch surface of the electronic device, and can bedefined by an area of contact or coordinates of an area of contact.

In this disclosure, “reference size information” refers to the size of acontact point when there is an input of a pen input device by predefinedcriteria. Similarly, reference shape information refers to the shape ofa contact point when there is an input of a pen input device bypredefined criteria. Here, an input of a pen input device by predefinedcriteria means any input in the case where the pen input device isplaced in a state having specific status information such as predefinedthree-dimensional coordinates, tilt, direction, pressure, acceleration,and the like.

In this disclosure, “expressive effects” refers to information displayedon a display unit in response to a detection signal created by an inputof a pen input device, especially, including one or more of thickness,density, and texture of a pen input. An example of such expressiveeffects is shown in FIG. 3.

Referring to FIG. 3, principles of the present disclosure areillustrated with the use of two examples of expressing various effectswith the use of a real pencil. When a line is drawn with a pencil heldupright, as in illustration A, expressive effects are thin, deep anddense. However, when a line is drawn with a pencil substantially tiltedand nearly on its side as in illustration B, expressive effects arethick, light and rough.

Examples of electronic devices suitable for use in embodiments of thisinvention include a mobile communication terminal, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a smart phone, a navigation device, a digitalbroadcasting receiver, a portable multimedia player (PMP), an MP3player, a personal computer (PC), a laptop computer, a tablet PC, andany other electronic device capable of using a pen input device.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of anelectronic device, 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. Device 100 includes a communication unit 110, a touch screenunit 120, an input unit 130, a memory unit 140, and a control unit 150.

The communication unit 110 can be any suitable kind of wired/wirelesscommunication unit and performs a transmission/reception function ofdata through a communication with a pen input device 200 (hereafter,“pen” 200, interchangeably). In the case where the device 100 iswirelessly connected with the pen 200, the communication unit 110 is anRF (radio frequency) unit and may be composed of an RF transmitter thatup-converts the frequency of an outgoing signal and then amplifies thesignal, an RF receiver that amplifies with low-noise an incoming signaland down-converts the frequency of the signal, and the like. Also, ashort-range communication module based on RFID, NFC (near fieldcommunication), Bluetooth, UWB (ultra wideband), Zigbee, IrDA (infrareddata association), or the like may be further used.

In a case where the device 100 has a wired connection with the pen inputdevice 200, the communication unit 110 can act as just a wired interfacefor signal communication between the control unit 150 and the pen 200.Alternatively, the communication unit 110 can be omitted if the pen 200is wired directly to the control unit 150 to implement all communicationtherebetween.

In embodiments of the present invention, the communication unit 110 mayreceive, from the pen 200, status information of the pen input deviceand/or contact information generated in the pen input device.

The touch screen unit 120 includes a touch sensor unit 121 and a displayunit 122. The touch sensor unit 121 is an element that detects user'stouch input. Although it is described herein that the touch sensor unit121 is a part of the touch screen unit 120, the touch sensor unit 121may be alternatively included in the input unit 130 to be describedbelow. The touch sensor unit 121 may be a touch detection sensor ofcapacitive overlay type or resistive overlay type or any other kind ofsensor device capable of detecting a contact of an object. The touchsensor unit 121 detects a touch input from a user, creates a detectionsignal, and sends the created signal to the control unit 150. Theterminal 100 may output information, corresponding to the detectionsignal received by the control unit 150, on the display unit 122.

Further, the touch sensor unit 121 may receive a manipulation signalcaused by a touch input from a user using any touch implement. A touchimplement can be a user's finger, a simple stylus pen, or a moresophisticated mechanical/electronic tool such as the pen input device200 which may include a control button to execute specific operationsknown in the related art.

In the present invention, the touch sensor unit 121 may detect a touchinput of the pen input device 200, generate a detection signal, andtransmit the generated signal to the control unit 150.

The display unit 122 may be formed of LCD (liquid crystal display), OLED(organic light emitting diodes), AMOLED (active matrix OLED), or anyother equivalent. The display unit 122 visually presents, to users, datastored in the device 100 or received by the device 100.

In this invention, the display unit 122 may display informationcorresponding to a detection signal caused by a touch input of the pen200, and also vary and display expressive effects of the pen 200 inputunder the control of the control unit 150.

The input unit 130 can be an input device formed at any location otherthan the touch screen unit 120 in device 100. Like the touch sensor unit121, the input unit 130 generates an input signal and delivers it to thecontrol unit 150. Also, the input unit 130 may detect the occurrence ofinputs occurring independently or sequentially, their continuance, andtheir termination. Although it is described herein that the input unit130 is formed at any location other than the touch screen unit 120, thetouch sensor unit 121 may be considered part of the input unit 130 asdiscussed above.

The input unit 130 may include a key input unit, which may be formed ofa keypad having alphanumeric keys and navigation keys or formed ofindividual keys. Also, the key input unit may be formed of a button typeor a touch sensor type.

Additionally, the input unit 130 may include a proximity sensor (notshown). In this case, the input unit 130 may detect the existence,approach, movement, direction, speed, shape, etc. of any object from adetection surface without any mechanical contact by detecting a force ofan electromagnetic field. The proximity sensor may use one of atransmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection typephotoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, ahigh-frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive typeproximity sensor, a magnetic type proximity sensor, and an infraredproximity sensor. Meanwhile, the input unit 130 may use anelectromagnetic resonance (EMR) pad to replace the touch sensor unit 121and the proximity sensor.

In an embodiment of this invention, device 100 may receive alltouch-based inputs by means of the touch screen unit 120, in which casethe input unit 130 can be omitted. Meanwhile, input unit 130 may beconfigured to receive non-touch input commands and information signals,e.g., voice commands, and/or commands and information signals receivedfrom external devices wirelessly or through a wireless connection. (Inthe latter case, the input unit 130 can be considered to include thecommunication unit 110 configured for this purpose, or anothercommunication unit so configured, not shown.) However, if device 100 hasany proximity sensor, the input unit 130 may detect an input of the pen200 through the proximity sensor, generate a corresponding detectionsignal, and send it to the control unit 150.

The memory unit 140 is an element that stores programs and data requiredfor the operation of the device 100 and may store an operating system(OS) of the device 100, various applications, and data such as images,audio recordings and videos. The memory unit 140 may be divided into aprogram region and a data region. The program region may store programsand the OS for controlling the general operation of the device 100,applications required for playing multimedia contents, applicationsrequired for any other optional functions such as a sound play functionor an image or video view function, and the like. The data region maystore data produced during use of device 100, such as images, videos, aphonebook, audio data, and the like.

The memory unit 140 may include any of a variety of types of storagemedia such as flash memory type memory, hard disk type memory,multimedia card micro type memory, card type memory (e.g., SD or XDmemory, etc.), RAM (random access memory), SRAM (static random accessmemory), ROM (read-only memory), EEPROM (electrically erasableprogrammable ROM), PROM (programmable ROM), magnetic memory, magneticdisk, optical disk, and the like.

In this invention, the memory unit 140 may store reference informationsuch as reference plane information, reference size information,reference shape information, and the like, and may also store measuredand/or calculated tilt information, contact information, and the likereceived from the control unit 150.

The control unit 150 is an element that controls the general operationof the electronic device 100.

In this invention, the control unit 150 may control the display unit 122to vary expressive effects of a pen 200 input by using at least one ofstatus information of the pen 200 and contact information of a contactpoint between the pen 200 and the device 100.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 150receives status information of the pen 200 through the communicationunit 110. This status information may include three-dimensionalcoordinate information, tilt information, direction information,pressure information, and acceleration information of the pen 200, whichis measured using sensors within the pen 200. Based on the receivedstatus information, the control unit 150 creates contact information ofa contact point between the pen input device 200 and device 100. Thiscontact information may include one or more of coordinates, size, shape,and pressure of the contact point. The contact information is then usedby control unit 150 to generate expressions of lines across the displayas the pen 200 moves across the touch screen. When the pen 200 issituated in a certain relationship with respect to the touch sensor unit121 surface, for example, has a certain tilt, the size or shape of acontact point between the pen 200 and the touch sensor unit 121 may bedetermined. Therefore, based on status information of the pen 200,contact information of a contact point may be computed and then used asa basis to generate expressions of drawing lines. A relevant example ofthis mechanism is shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 6 illustrates variation of contact information depending on tiltinformation of a pen input device in embodiments of the presentinvention. In FIG. 6, the size and shape of a contact point are variedaccording to the tilt of the pen 200. Let's suppose that a referenceplane is set as a surface S of the touch screen unit 120 to be contactedby the pen 200. When pen 200 is in a generally upright position, i.e.,at a first tilt position T1 with respect to S, the area or length 610 ofa contact point becomes smaller and the shape resembles a circle. On thecontrary, when the pen 200 is more tilted and lies at a second tiltposition T2, the area or length 620 of a contact point becomes greaterand the shape resembles an ellipse. Therefore, as the tilt of the pen200 decreases, namely, the tilt approaches 0 degrees (full uprightposition), a contact point has a smaller size and resembles a circle inshape. In contrast, as the pen 200 tilt increases, a contact point has agreater size and resembles an ellipse in shape. It is noted, the tilt ofthe pen 200 can be defined with a different convention if a differentreference plane is used, such as a plane normal to the surface of thetouch screen.

It should be noted, the pen 200 may be designed with a spherical shapedtip and a cylindrical body, and may have a conically shaped transitionbetween the spherical tip and the cylindrical body. In other designs,the end of the tip is flat, and the remainder of the tip is conical,spherical or ellipsoid. Further, the tip may be flexible, producingdifferent contact area with applied pressure. Thus, a relationshipbetween the shape and size of the contact point (i.e., the area ofcontact) and the tilt/applied pressure of the pen 200 with respect tothe contact surface, can be calculated and stored within device 100based on information of the physical characteristics of the pen 200.

The control unit 150 may control the display unit 122 to vary expressiveeffects of a pen input, based on contact information. Expressive effectsmay include one or more of thickness, density, and texture of a peninput. When a contact point is smaller in size and resembles a circle inshape, the control unit 150 may vary expressive effects to have thin,deep and dense effects. When a contact point is greater in size andresembles an ellipse in shape, the control unit 150 may vary expressiveeffects to have thick, light and rough effects.

The control unit 150 may vary expressive effects in n stages by usingn−1 reference values for contact information. For example, in order toproduce expressive effects at three stages, the control unit 150establishes two reference values a and b (a<b). Namely, expressiveeffects may be differently shown at three stage where a specific valueof contact information is smaller than a reference value a, is betweentwo reference values a and b, and is greater than a reference value b.

This process may also be performed at a step of generating contactinformation from status information of the pen 200. Namely, when contactinformation is created, n−1 reference values are established for the peninput device 200, and contact information is classified into n stages.Thereafter, depending on contact information of n stages, expressiveeffects may be varied with n stages.

As discussed above, in the first embodiment, the control unit 150 maycalculate contact information through status information of the peninput device 200 and thereby simply and conveniently vary expressiveeffects without receiving actual contact information.

In a second embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 150detects a contact point (where “point” encompasses an area of contact)between the pen input device 200 and the device 100 through the touchsensor unit 121 and then generates contact information of the contactpoint corresponding to the detected coordinates included within the areaof the contact point. This contact information may include one or moreof coordinates, size, shape, and pressure of the contact point.

Based on the created contact information, the control unit 150 maycalculate status information of the pen input device. This statusinformation of the pen input device may include three-dimensionalcoordinate information, tilt information, direction information,pressure information, and acceleration information.

When the contact point has a certain size or shape, the status of thepen input device 200 may be determined. Therefore, based on contactinformation, status information of the pen input device may be created.A related example is shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 7 illustrates variation of tilt information depending on contactinformation in embodiments of the present invention. Here, the tilt ofthe pen input device 200 is varied according to the size of a contactpoint between the pen input device 200 and the electronic device 100.

The relationship between tilt and contact point area and shape issimilar or identical to that described earlier in connection with FIG.6. Let's suppose that a reference plane is set to the surface of thetouch screen unit 120 to be contacted by the pen input device. Asindicated by a reference numeral 710, when a contact point has a smallersize, this corresponds to a smaller tilt of the pen 200. On thecontrary, when a contact point has a greater size as indicated by areference numeral 720, this corresponds to a larger pen tilt. Differentreference planes and tilt conventions can be used in the alternative.

When calculating status information, the control unit 150 may comparecontact information with at least one of reference size information andreference shape information and then, based on comparison results,calculate status information.

Reference size information and reference shape information may be storedin the memory unit 140 in the form of database by calculating in advancestatus information of the pen input device corresponding to a specificsize and a specific shape of a contact point. Namely, the memory unit140 may store in advance reference size information and reference shapeinformation in a case where there is an input of the pen 200 bypredefined criteria. Then, in order to obtain status information, thecontrol unit 150 may calculate the tilt of the pen 200 by comparing themeasured contact information with the stored reference size informationor reference shape information.

Such database of reference size information and reference shapeinformation may be constructed by a user or stored as initial setting ofthe terminal 100.

Additionally, the control unit 150 may control the display unit 122 tovary expressive effects of a pen input, based on the generated statusinformation. Expressive effects may include one or more of thickness,density, and texture of a pen input. Expressive effects may be varied asa function of pen tilt or contact information, and optionally in stages,in the same manner as described above.

It should be noted, in an embodiment variation, control unit 150 maycontrol display unit 122 to vary expressive effects of a pen input basedon the measured contact information, without computing any pen statusinformation.

This staging process described earlier may also be performed at a stepof creating status information of the pen input device from contactinformation. Namely, n−1 reference values can be established forreference size information or reference shape information, and statusinformation is classified into n stages. Thereafter, depending on statusinformation of n stages, expressive effects may be varied with n stages.

Additionally, when the pen 200 detects a contact point and createscontact information, the control unit 150 may receive the contactinformation through the pen 200. Namely, the control unit 150 mayreceive contact information of a contact point from the pen 200 ratherthan detect and create contact information through the touch sensor unit121. In this implementation, pen 200 includes a suitable means ofdetecting contact at detectable points along its surface.

As discussed above, in the second embodiment, the control unit 150 maycalculate status information of the pen input device through contactinformation and thereby simply and conveniently vary expressive effectswithout receiving tilt information from the pen 200 itself. In thisembodiment, the pen 200 can advantageously be made less complex and at areduced cost by omitting sensors otherwise employed to measure the pen'stilt, acceleration, etc.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a pen inputdevice 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.The pen input device 200 includes a communication unit 210, an inputunit 220, and a sensor unit 230.

The communication unit 210 can be any suitable type of wired/wirelesscommunication unit and performs a transmission/reception function ofdata through a communication with the above-discussed electronic device100. In the case where the device 100 is wirelessly connected with thepen 200, the communication unit 210 is an RF unit and may be composed ofan RF transmitter that up-converts the frequency of an outgoing signaland then amplifies the signal, an RF receiver that amplifies withlow-noise an incoming signal and down-converts the frequency of thesignal, and the like. Also, a short-range communication module based onRFID, NFC (near field communication), Bluetooth, UWB (ultra wideband),Zigbee, IrDA (infrared data association), or the like may be furtherused.

In a case where the device 100 is in direct wired connection with thepen input device 200, any structure connecting the terminal 100 and thepen input device 200, rather than a separate module, may embody thecommunication unit 210. Namely, if a signal of the pen input device 200is directly transmitted to the control unit 150 of the terminal 100through wire, the input unit 220 or the sensor unit 230 may beconsidered as the communication unit 210.

In certain embodiments of the present invention, the communication unit210 may transmit, to the terminal, status information of the pen 200and/or contact information generated in the pen 200.

The input unit 220, which is an input device formed at the pen inputdevice, generates an input signal and delivers it to the device 100through the communication unit 210. Also, the input unit 220 may detectthe occurrence of inputs occurring independently or sequentially, theircontinuance, and their termination. The input unit 220 may be a keyinput unit. For instance, a user depresses the key to command executionof a predetermined operation.

The sensor unit 230 can be any type of device for detecting statusinformation of the pen input device. The sensor unit 230 may be formedof a three-axis acceleration sensor, a tilt sensor, a pressure sensor, aproximity sensor, and the like.

If the sensor unit 230 is formed of a proximity sensor, it may detectthe existence, approach, movement, direction, speed, shape, etc. of anyobject from a detection surface without any mechanical contact by usinga force of an electromagnetic field. The proximity sensor may use one ofa transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection typephotoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, ahigh-frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive typeproximity sensor, a magnetic type proximity sensor, and an infraredproximity sensor.

The sensor unit 230 may operate as the input unit 220. In certainembodiments of the present invention, the sensor unit 230 may detectstatus information of the pen input device and then transmit a detectionsignal to the terminal 100.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an input method for an electronicdevice 100 using a pen input device 200 in accordance with the firstembodiment of the present invention.

First, the control unit 150 receives status information of the pen inputdevice 200 through the communication unit 110 (step 410). This thestatus information may include three-dimensional coordinate information,tilt information, direction information, pressure information, andacceleration information of the pen input device 200.

Next, based on the received status information, the control unit 150creates contact information of a contact point between the pen inputdevice 200 and the terminal 100 (step 420). Here, the contactinformation may include one or more of coordinates, size, shape, andpressure of the contact point.

When the pen input device 200 has a certain positional status, forexample, has a certain tilt, the size or shape of a contact pointbetween the pen input device 200 and the touch sensor unit 121 may bedetermined. Therefore, based on status information of the pen inputdevice 200, contact information of a contact point may be generated. Arelated example of a relationship between tilt and contact informationhas been shown and described in connection with FIG. 6 hereinabove.

Next, the control unit 150 controls the display unit 122 to varyexpressive effects of the pen 200 input, based on the contactinformation (step 430). Expressive effects may include one or more ofthickness, density, and texture of a pen input.

When a contact point is smaller in size and resembles a circle in shape,the control unit 150 may set expressive effects to have thin, deep anddense effects. When a contact point is greater in size and resembles anellipse in shape, the control unit 150 may set expressive effects tohave thick, light and rough effects. The expressive effects may bevaried in n stages by using n−1 reference values for contact informationin the manner described earlier.

This process may also be performed at step of creating contactinformation from status information of the pen input device 200. Namely,when contact information is created, n−1 reference values areestablished for the pen input device 200, and contact information isclassified into n stages. Thereafter, depending on contact informationof n stages, expressive effects may be varied with n stages.

As discussed above, in the first embodiment, the input method of thedevice 100 may calculate contact information through status informationof the pen input device 200 and thereby simply and conveniently varyexpressive effects without receiving real contact information.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating an input method for a terminal 100using a pen input device 200 in accordance with the second embodiment ofthe present invention.

First, the control unit 150 detects a contact point between the peninput device 200 and the electronic device 100 through the touch sensorunit 121 and then creates contact information of the contact point (step510). Here, the contact information may include one or more ofcoordinates, size, shape, and pressure of the contact point.

Next, based on the created contact information, the control unit 150calculates status information of the pen 200 (step 520). This statusinformation of pen 200 may include three-dimensional coordinateinformation, tilt information, direction information, pressureinformation, and acceleration information.

When the contact point has a certain size or shape, the positionalstatus of the pen input device 200 may be determined. Therefore, basedon contact information, status information of the pen input device maybe generated. A related example of this operation has been shown in FIG.7 and described earlier.

When calculating status information, the control unit 150 may comparecontact information with at least one of reference size information andreference shape information and then, based on comparison results,calculate status information.

Reference size information and reference shape information may be storedin the memory unit 140 in the form of database by calculating in advancestatus information of the pen input device 200 corresponding to aspecific size and a specific shape of a contact point. Namely, thememory unit 140 may store in advance reference size information andreference shape information in case where there is an input of the peninput device 200 by predefined criteria. Then, in order to obtain statusinformation, the control unit 150 may calculate the tilt of the peninput device by comparing the measured contact information with thestored reference size information or reference shape information.

Such database of reference size information and reference shapeinformation may be constructed by a user or stored as initial setting ofthe terminal 100.

Additionally, the control unit 150 may control the display unit 122 tovary expressive effects of a pen input, based on the created statusinformation (step 530). Expressive effects may include one or more ofthickness, density, and texture of a pen input.

As described above, expressive effects may be set to have thin, deep anddense effects when the pen input device 200 is more upright (less tilt),and to have thick, light and rough effects when the pen input device 200is more tilted. Expressive effects can be also varied in n stages in themanner described earlier. Further, the staging approach may also beperformed at a step of creating status information of the pen inputdevice 200 from contact information. Namely, n−1 reference values areestablished for reference size information or reference shapeinformation, and status information is classified into n stages.Thereafter, depending on status information of n stages, expressiveeffects may be varied with n stages.

Additionally, when the pen 200 detects a contact point and createscontact information, the control unit 150 may receive the contactinformation through the pen 200. Namely, the control unit 150 mayreceive contact information of a contact point from the pen input devicerather than detect and create contact information through the touchsensor unit 121 of the device 100.

As discussed above, in the second embodiment, the input method of theterminal may calculate status information of the pen input device 200through contact information and thereby simply and conveniently varyexpressive effects without receiving tilt information of the pen inputdevice 200. Furthermore, expressive effects may be derived from measuredcontact information alone, without calculating status information,whereby the pen input device may be simplified.

The above-described methods according to the present invention can beimplemented in hardware, firmware or as software or computer code thatcan be stored in a recording medium such as a CD ROM, an RAM, a floppydisk, a hard disk, or a magneto-optical disk or computer code downloadedover a network originally stored on a remote recording medium or anon-transitory machine readable medium and to be stored on a localrecording medium, so that the methods described herein can be renderedin such software that is stored on the recording medium using a generalpurpose computer, or a special processor or in programmable or dedicatedhardware, such as an ASIC or FPGA. As would be understood in the art,the computer, the processor, microprocessor controller or theprogrammable hardware include memory components, e.g., RAM, ROM, Flash,etc. that may store or receive software or computer code that whenaccessed and executed by the computer, processor or hardware implementthe processing methods described herein. In addition, it would berecognized that when a general purpose computer accesses code forimplementing the processing shown herein, the execution of the codetransforms the general purpose computer into a special purpose computerfor executing the processing shown herein.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and describedwith reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understoodby those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details maybe made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display method for an electronic device, whichincludes a touchscreen, using an external input device, the methodcomprising: obtaining information corresponding to an angle associatedwith the external input device in contact with a surface of thetouchscreen; generating, based on the information, a plurality ofdiscrete intervals for the information corresponding to the externalinput device, wherein each of the plurality of discrete intervals isassociated with a lower value and an upper value, the plurality ofdiscrete intervals corresponding to different levels of expressiveeffects; determining, based on a comparison of the informationcorresponding to the external input device to the lower value and uppervalue of each of the plurality of discrete intervals, a certain discreteinterval of the information corresponding to the external input device;and displaying, based on the determined discrete interval, a writinginput with a certain level of expressive effect corresponding to thedetermined discrete interval.
 2. The display method of claim 1, whereinthe expressive effects include thickness of the writing input.
 3. Thedisplay method of claim 2, wherein displaying of the writing inputfurther comprises: increasing thickness when the determined discreteinterval of the information corresponding to the external input deviceis associated with higher lower and upper values; and decreasingthickness when the determined discrete interval of the informationcorresponding to the external input device is associated with smallerlower and upper values.
 4. The display method of claim 1, wherein theexpressive effects include density of the writing input.
 5. The displaymethod of claim 1, wherein the expressive effects include texture of thewriting input.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying of thewriting input further comprises: selecting a first texture when thedetermined discrete interval of the information corresponding to theexternal input device indicates a first level; and selecting a secondtexture when the determined discrete interval of the informationcorresponding to the external input device indicates a second level. 7.An electronic device comprising: a touchscreen; a communication unit; amemory; and a processor configured to: obtain information correspondingto an to an angle associated with an external input device in contactwith a surface of the touchscreen, generate, based on the information, aplurality of discrete intervals for the contact information of theexternal input device, wherein each of the plurality of discreteintervals is associated with a lower value and an upper value, theplurality of discrete intervals corresponding to different levels ofexpressive effects, determine, based on a comparison of the informationcorresponding to the external input device to the lower value and uppervalue of each of the plurality of discrete intervals, a certain discreteinterval of the information corresponding to the external input device,and display, based on the determined discrete interval, a writing inputwith a certain level of expressive effect corresponding to thedetermined discrete interval.
 8. The electronic device of claim 7,wherein the expressive effects include thickness of the writing input.9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the processor is configuredto: increase thickness when the determined discrete interval of theinformation corresponding to the external input device is associatedwith higher lower and upper values; and decrease thickness when thedetermined discrete interval of the information corresponding to theexternal input device is associated with smaller lower and upper values.10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the expressive effectsinclude density of the writing input.
 11. The electronic device of claim7, wherein the expressive effects include texture of the writing input.12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor isconfigured to: select a first texture when the determined discreteinterval of the information corresponding to the external input deviceindicates a first level; and select a second texture when the determineddiscrete interval of the information corresponding to the external inputdevice indicates a second level.